Signs of Trouble Amid Stabilizing Health Insurance Market

January 12, 2018 12:11 PM

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - State officials say Minnesota's individual health insurance market may be stabilizing but there are still signs of trouble.

The Star Tribune reports that a Minnesota Department of Health study released Friday shows insurers selling plans directly to consumers aren't losing as much money as in years past. Heavy losses in 2014 and 2015 drove double-digit premium hikes for shoppers.

The department says the financial turnaround signals the market has stabilized after years of uncertainty. But the report also warns that the shrinking size of the individual market could cause problems.

Just 166,000 Minnesotans were enrolled as of the middle of 2017. That's down from 309,000 in 2015.

The report says healthy individuals leaving the market could spark additional instability. Open enrollment for 2018 ends on Sunday.

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Information from: Star Tribune, http://www.startribune.com

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